Parents Leadership Council Weekend Schedule

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PLC members are invited to Parents Leadership Council Spring Weekend on March 20-22, 2025.

Schedule of Events

Subject to change – please check back for updates and additional information

Thursday, March 20, 2025
5:00 – 6:00 pm Science, Society, and the Arts Keynote Speaker
SSA is a biennial undergraduate research conference for W&L students. The keynote speaker is Carla Lalli Music, New York Times bestselling author, James Beard Award winner, and former food director at Bon Appetit. Known for her engaging storytelling and deep passion for food, media, and creativity, Carla will share insights from her career in a talk that promises to be both thought-provoking and entertaining. This event is open to the public and no tickets are necessary.		 University Chapel
6:00 – 7:30 pm Reception for PLC Steering Committee and Circle
As a member of the PLC Steering Committee and PLC Circle, you are invited to attend a reception in the rotunda of the Watson Galleries located on W&L’s campus near the Admissions Building. Emma Steinkraus’ mural work is on display titled Impossible Garden/Dusk and Dawn.		 Watson Galleries
Friday, March 21, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Check-in and Material Pick-up
Visit us at Morris House to pick up your gift bag, nametags, and materials. We will have beverages and light fare. We look forward to welcoming you to campus!		 Morris House
10:30 – 11:30 am Welcome to PLC Spring Weekend
Tara Hackenberg, Director of Parent Giving

Career and Professional Development Student Panel
Moderator – Molly Steele ‘04, Dean of Career and Professional Development		 Northen Auditorium in Leyburn Library 
12:00 – 1:30 pm Buffet Lunch – Welcome from PLC Chairs
Join us in Evans Hall for a buffet lunch and a welcome from our PLC Chairs, Anne Faircloth and Fred Beaujeu-Dufour. This is an opportunity to connect with other PLC families, see old friends and make new ones.		 Evans Hall
2:00 – 3:00 pm AI at the Helm: How Intelligent Automation is Reshaping Our World 
Jeff Schatten, Associate Professor of Business Administration

Jeff Schatten explores the latest breakthroughs in AI, from cutting-edge automation tools to intelligent decision-making systems. This session dives into how these technologies are transforming creativity, education, and work—reshaping industries and redefining human potential.		 Northen Auditorium in Leyburn Library 
3:00 – 4:00 pm Bitcoin and Global Politics
Seth Cantey, Associate Professor of Politics

What is bitcoin, and how is it different than other kinds of money? How is this technology being used around the world? Why did the United States recently establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve? This talk introduces a fascinating monetary technology, explains how it stands apart from other digital assets, and explores its expanding role in global politics and finance.		 Northen Auditorium in Leyburn Library 
Break A great time to use your 20% off coupon in the W&L Bookstore – they are open until 7:00 pm!
6:30 – 8:30 pm

Cocktail Party at Big Spring Farm (Students are welcome to attend with their parents)
Big Spring Farm, a stunning event venue just miles from campus in scenic Rockbridge County, sets the stage for an evening of cocktails, food, and music with family and friends. Attire: Barn party casual

TRANSPORTATION: W&L Shuttles will run to and from Big Spring Farm from the W&L parking garage. If you will be driving, please use the following address in your GPS: 104 Fredericksburg Road, Lexington, VA  24450

 Big Spring Farm
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Parents Leadership Council Spring Meeting
8:00 – 9:00 am Buffet Breakfast (Students are welcome to attend with their parents) Hillel House
9:00 – 9:45 am Connolly Entrepreneurship Society – Student Panel
CES is a student-run organization that supports and funds student-led businesses. In this session, the CES Executive Board will offer an inside look at student-driven entrepreneurial initiatives, how students actively engage in the program, and CES’s vision for the future. The board will highlight what sets this entrepreneurship program apart and share their experiences, goals, and the impact they strive to create through CES.		 Hillel House
9:45 – 10:30 am Planning for the Future: The New Institutional History Museum
Matt Davis, Director of Institutional History Museum and Galleries

Matt Davis will share insights into the vision and progress of the building project, highlighting its significance for the university. “The Institutional History Museum is an exciting step forward for Washington and Lee and an opportunity to preserve and showcase the many fascinating threads of our 275-year history. Our hope is that visitors to the museum will find reflections of their own experiences with W&L and learn of the experiences and contributions of countless others in our community,” Bill Payne ’88, co-chair of the Museum Working Group.		 Hillel House
10:30 – 11:45 am University Update and Q&A
William C. Dudley, President		 Hillel House
11:45 am Closing Remarks and Thanks
Anne Faircloth and Fred Beaujeu-Dufour, PLC Chairs		 Hillel House

Weekend Attire

PLC Spring Weekend is business casual unless otherwise noted. No jackets or ties are expected at any of our events. Dress comfortably for the weather and all the activities. Thursday evening’s reception will be business casual. Friday night’s reception is in a barn and on the grounds of Big Spring Farm. While there are indoor and outdoor portable heaters, you may want to bring a coat or sweater as it will likely cool off throughout the evening. If you are planning outdoor activities on Saturday, please feel free to wear comfortable outdoor attire and shoes to breakfast and the meeting.

Visit the Museums at W&L

Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm

The University Chapel & Galleries
A National Historic Landmark, the Chapel opened in 1868 during Robert E. Lee’s tenure as 11th president of then Washington College. Non-denominational and unconsecrated, the Chapel housed an auditorium, administrative offices, a YMCA, and a library. In 1928, a museum was installed in the basement. Today, that museum is now comprised of several gallery spaces with exhibitions on the history of the university. Visitors also see Edward Valentine’s Recumbent Lee statue.

The Reeves Museum of Ceramics
The Reeves Museum of Ceramics showcases one of the country’s finest collections of Chinese and Japanese export ceramics. The collection includes European, Asian, and American ceramics spanning some 4,000 years. The collection tells stories of history, design, technology, trade, patriotism, and protest. Inside the Reeves Museum is the Elisabeth S. Gottwald Gallery, a rotating gallery that often highlights the work of Louise Herreshoff Reeves, an early 20th-century American painter noted for Impressionist and Fauvist works.

Watson Galleries and Japanese Tearoom
The Watson contains two changing exhibit galleries that showcase rotating selections from the fine arts and ceramics collections. The art collection includes roughly 8,000 works of art from around the globe, and consists of early American portraits by artists such as Charles Willson Peale and Gilbert Stuart, a growing collection of 20th and 21st century works by international artists, including Elizabeth Catlett, Fernando Botero, William Christenberry, Sam Gilliam, Sally Mann, and Andy Warhol among others. In addition, the art collection includes Chinese fan paintings, 20th-century Chinese brush paintings, and Japanese woodblock prints.

Parking

Parking is available in the Parking Garage and Corral Lot for Parents Leadership Council Spring Weekend attendees. Please use the parking pass. Contact Tara Hackenberg if you have trouble accessing the parking pass.